Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Get Your Glow with Sleek Makeup

::: press sample :::

Some say you're never fully dressed without a smile, but if you ask me, it's a bit of highlight. I love a bit of glow, what can I say? There is just something about the radiance a spot of highlight can give skin. Sleek Makeup knows what;s up and has some particularly gorgeous options to help you get your glow on. Read on for a closer look at the Sleek Makeup Highlighting Palette and Barekissed Illuminator.

The first thing that won me over with the Sleek Makeup Highlighting Palette is the all gold packaging. If you're familiar with Sleek, you know they tend to stick to their signature black on black packaging (that can very aptly be described as sleek.) I'm not always a lover of yellow gold packaging, but this baby is pretty fabulous. Inside gets even better though. When you open the magnetic closure, you're greeted to a full mirror and four highlighters of various shades and textures.

The first shade, Ecliptic (yes, they have names! *swoons*) is a cream shade. Negative one point for team Sleek. I don't like cream shades in palettes. I know I'm not alone, but I can almost forgive this one. It's a dusty pink champagne shade that has a soft glow with a texture that is pretty dreamy. While I don't love it in combination with powder products, it's a great highlight.

Under that, you have Subsolar a silky powder formula in a soft golden yellow shade.

You've also go two baked shades Hemisphere and Equinox, which impart a pink and peach glow respectively. These swatch a bit frosty and look quite intense, but when carefully dusted on skin are quite beautiful and create a nice glow. What I like best from all of these shades is what they lack- physical glitter and shimmer. Every shade here is refined with the glowy radiance thing going on and not the chunky adolescent roll-on glitter thing (anyone else remember those?)

Continuing on out highlighter journey with Sleek Makeup Barekissed Illuminator in Monaco. This liquid highlight comes in four shades with a peach (Cuba), pink (Casablanca) and bronze (Pompeii) option available should the lavender champagne shade that is Monaco not suit your radiance giving needs. The highlighter is housed in a weighty, frosted glass bottle with pump dispenser. The bottle is luze in feel, but may not be the best if you plan on traveling with your illuminator in tow.

I happen to love the shade of Monaco as it gives skin a touch of extra brightness when mixed into foundation (dull skinned gals know lavender is a friend.) While this can be dabbed directly onto highpoints for a subtle glow, I like it as a glow booster in my base. I've been adding this to my base of choice (lately, it's been this one) and it gives a soft radiance and a bit of an overall brightened look.

Bonus product! The Sleek Makeup Candy Tint Balm isn't glowy in any way (sorry) but it does give lips a wash of sheer colour. The Candy Tints come in an array of shades, but I have Bob Bon a peachy pink cream that gives lips that pretty hue I mentioned with a does of balm goodness infused with vitamin a, c, and e, jojoba oil, and SPF 15. The balm is super easy to wear with a comfortable feel and a vanilla candy type scent.

Overall, I'm really impressed with these products. I'm always a fan of a bit of highlight, but I'm especially pleased that these options are both budget friendly and lack any glitter or shimmer. The finishes are all gorgeous and easily wearable. In case any of you aren't familiar with Sleek Makeup, they're a UK high-street (aka drugstore) brand that specialize in high quality makeup for all skin tones. I know, international ordering can be... iffy, but I've ordered from their website in the past and never has any issue with shipping fees or shipping in general. What do you think? Have you tried any of these products? Have any brand favourites?